Oil-refining apparatus



Sept. 19, 1939.

J. A. NIEDENS OIL-REFINING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1938 INVENTOR I n v m ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] OIL-REFINING APPARATUS Johnnie A. Niedens, Shields, Kane.

Application September 22, 1938, Serial No. 231,260

6 Claims.

This invention relates to oil refining apparatus, and its general object is to provide an apparatus of that character which is .primarily designed for use with an internal combustion engine, for

disposal in direct communication with the crank case thereof, for the passage of the oil from the crank case, through the apparatus and back to the crank case, the apparatus acting to not only filter the oil to remove all solid matter therefrom, but removes diluents, such as water, fuel, acid and other undesirable liquids which are detrimental to the proper lubrication of the engine, so that the oil is returned to the crank case in a clean and purified condition, with the result it will be obvious that my apparatus eliminates the necessity of changing the oil from time to time, increases the efliciency of the engine lubrication system, and materially decreases oil consumption.

A further object is to provide an oil refining apparatus that acts to remove all detrimental liquids from the oil, by evaporation and utilizes the heat of the exhaust gases from the engine for that purpose.

Another object is to provide an oil refining apparatus that can be easily and expeditiously installed, and can be carried directly by the engine, or applied to a motor vehicle in communication with the engine, and is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely eiflcient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cover member or cap.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus with the cap removed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my apparatus includes a cylindrical casing provided by a body I having an open upper end closed by a cap 2 which has formed thereon an annular flange 3, while the bodyis provided with an annular flange 4 and the flanges have openings therein for registration with each other for receiving bolts of bolt and nut con-, nections 5 for removably securing the cap to 5 the body, as shown in Figure 1, the cap having an annular shoulder at the juncture of the flange therewith for receiving a gasket 6 to provide a leak proof connection between the cap and body. The nuts of the connections 5 are of the wing 10 type to facilitate the removal and application of the cap, as will be apparent.

Disposed within the body I and formed on the cylindrical wall thereof adjacent to its lower end is a disk shaped partition 1 centrally en- 15 larged to provide a depending portion 8, and the centrally enlarged depending portion has a threaded opening therethrough, to threadedly receive the lower end of-an oil feed tube 9 rising centrally within the body, but terminating 20 at its upper end below the upper end of the body as shownin Figure 1, and the upper end of the tube is preferably inwardly beveled as at l0. Disposed within the body between the partition I and the upper end thereof is a mass ll of filtering material of any kind suitable for the purpose, such as cotton waste, etc., and the material is disposed upon the opposite sides of a felt disk l2 and a similar disk l3 rests upon the 30 top of the material, the disks being of a diameter to fit the cylindrical wall of the casing and have openings therein for disposal about the tube 9. Mounted upon the upper felt disk I3 is a disk shaped filter plate 14 which is perforated for 35 the passage of the oil therethrough and-has a centrally disposed opening to receive the tube 9. The plate I4 is removable, and in order to facilitate its application and removal, it is provided with handles l5 in the form of ears formed on and rising therefrom adjacent its outer edge and disposed diametrically opposite each other, as best shown in'Figure 3. The plate is held against the disk I3 in a manner to compress the filtering material, by lugs it formed on the wall of the body and engaged with the upper surface of theplate adjacent to the periphery thereof, the plate having notches I! in its periphery to allow for the passage of the lugs therethrough in removing and applying the plate, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 3.

Formed within the body of the casing between the partition I and the closed lower end or bottom l8 thereof, is an upwardly curved convexoconcave partition I! that provides an upper vaporizing chamber II and a lower exhaust gas receiving chamber 2|, and the bottom II has threaded outlet openings 2! therein, disposed upon opposite sides of a centrally arranged threaded inlet opening 23. It will be obvious that the chamber II is arranged in communication with the exhaust pipe of the engine, through the medium of a suitable pipe connected thereto and threaded in the inlet are threaded in the openings II, for conveying theexhaustgasestrom the chamber.

The body is provided with inlet openings It arranged therein at'the point 01 mncturewith the partition I thereof, ior threadedl'y receiving pipes disposed in communication with the crank case otthe engine for conveying the oil from the latter to the apparatus, and the vaporizing chamber is provided with outlet openings II for threadedly receiving pipes in communication with the crankcase tor returningthe clean and, purified oil thereto. c

' Formed with the body and extending vertically and exteriorly thereof from the vaporizing'chamber 2| is a moisture and vapor escape tube that has its lower end communicating with'the chamber 20 and its upper end terminates with the upper end of the body, but is in registration with a passage 21 extending horizontally within the cap 2 to a float chamber 28 centrally disposed within the cap, the chamber having mounted therein a float it normally resting upon a plate SI detachably secured to the inner surface of the capior closing the chamber 20. The plate is provided with an inlet opening 3| centrally disposed with and overlying the upper end of the oil feed tube 9, and the cap as shown is of substantially dome-shape configuration, with an outlet opening in the upper end thereof, that has threadedly mounted therein'a nipple 32 provided with a seat 33 arranged in the path of a ball 34- carried by the for closing the outlet, as will be apparent upon inspection 01 Figure 1. v I

The container may be attached directly to the engine, or any other appropriate place adjacent thereto and for that purpose I provide bracket lugs 35 and annular ribs 36 which provide a seat for a mounting strap, not shown, for disposal in surrounding relation with respect to the body, as will be apparent.

From the above description and disclosure oi! the drawing, it is believed that the operation 0! myapparatus will be obvious, but it might be mentioned that the oil from the crank case passes.

into the filtering chamber from the inlets 24, for disposal through the filtering material and the felt pads, which removes the solid matter therefrom such as carbon, dirt, metallic particles, etc.

The oil then passes through the apertures of the filter plate I and thence down the tube 8 for disposal within the vaporizing chamber 2. where it contacts the partition I! whichv is heated by the exhaust gases within the chamber 2!, therefore the oil will be subjected to the heat which will evaporate the undesirable liquids therefrom, and from the chamber II the oil is returned to the crank case in a clean and purified condition. The moisture and vapor from the oil rises through the tube 2, and through the passage 21 to the chamber-ll, and from the latter to the atmosphere through the nipple outlet pipe connected thereto manne v The automatic check valve 01 the cap becomes in any suitable pening II, and outlet pipes float and engageable with the seat 32 that has an.-

active in the event the oil is obstructed in its return passage to the crank case, and in that event it is believed that it will be obvious that it the oil should rise to an extent to pass through the inlet opening ll of the plate It, the float 20 will be elevated to seat the ball ,thereby preventing the passage of the oil through the moleture and vapor outlet means.

It is thought from the Ioregoing description that'the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination andarrangement oi the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

.What I claim is:

1. An oil refining apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a casing, a filtering chamber within the casing and having inlet means for disposal in communication with the crank case of the engine, filtering material in said chamber, a vaporizing chamber below the filtering chamber and having outlet means for the return of the oil to the crank case, means for passing the filtered oil from the filtering chamber to the vaporizing chamber, an exhaust gas receiving chamber below the vaporizing chamber for heating the latter, and vapor outlet means for the vaporizing chamber.

2. An oil refining apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a casing, a filtering chamber .within the casing and having inlet meansjor disposal in communication with the crank case of the engine, filtering material in said chamber, a vaporizing chamber belowthe filtering chamber and having outlet means for the return 01 the oil to the crank case, means for passing the filtered oil from the filtering chamber to the vaporizing chamber, an exhaust gas receiving chamber below the vaporizing chamber for heating the latter, vapor outlet means for the vaporizing chamber, and means to prevent the escape of oil through the vapor outlet means.

3. An oil refining apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a casing, a partition in said casing and providing a. filtering chamber having inlet means for disposal in communication with the crank case of the engine, filtering material in said chamber, a vaporizing chamber below the filtering chamber and having outlet vaporizing chamber, means for compressing thefiltering material below the oil passage means, an

exhaust gas receiving chamber below the vaporizing chamber for heating the latter, vapor outlet means for the vaporizing chamber and means to prevent the escape of oil through the vapor outlet means.

4. An oil refining apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a casing, a filtering chamber within the casing and having inlet means for disposal in communication with the crank case oi the engine, filtering material in said chamber, a vaporizing chamber below the filtering chamber and having outlet means for the return of the oil to the crank case,-means for passing the filtered oil from the filtering chamber to the vaporizing chamber, an exhaust gas receiving chamber below the vaporizing chamber for heating, the latter, vapor outlet means for the vaporizing chamber, a float chamber having communication with the vapor outlet means, the filtering chamber and the vaporizing chamber, and float actuated valve means in the float chamber for controlling the vapor outlet means to prevent the escape of oil therethrough.

5. An oil refining apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a casing having a ;closed bottom and an open top, a cap detachably closing the open top, a partition in said casing and providing a filtering chamber having inlet means at the lower end thereof, filtering material in said chamber, a filtering plate compressing the filtering material and detachable from the casing, a vaporizing chamber below the filtering chamber and having oil outlet means, an oil tube rising from the partition for disposal through the filtering material and abovethe latter for the passage of oil from the filtering chamber to the vaporizing chamber, a partition between the first partition I and the bottom of the casing for cooperation with 20 the latter to provide an exhaust gas receiving chamber for heating the vaporizing chamber, the

latter partition being rounded upwardly with its highest point disposed directly below the oil tube, and vapor outlet means for the vaporizing chamher, and extending through the cap.

6. An oil refining apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a casing having a closed bottom and an open top, a cap detachably closing the open top, a partition in said casing and providing a filtering chamber having inlet means at the lower end thereof, filtering material in said chamber, a filtering plate compressing the filtering material and detachable from the casing, a vaporizing chamber below the filtering chamber and having oil outlet means, an oil tube threaded to the partition and rising therefrom for disposal through the filtering material and above the latter and the filtering plate, for the passage of oil from the filtering chamber to the vaporizing chamber, a partition between the first partition and the bottom of the casing and providing an exhaust gas receiving chamber having a centrally disposed inlet means and outlet means upon opposite sides thereof, a fioat chamber in the cap and communicating with the vaporizing chamber, vapor outlet means for the vaporizing chamber and communicating with the float chamber, outlet means for the float chamber, and float actuated valve means for controlling the outlet means of the float chamber.

' JOHNNIE A. NIEHJENS. 

